KNBR
SAN DIEGO — After pulling off one trade and landing one free-agent pitcher, the Giants did not bust out cigars and whiskey and begin making Bruce Bochy proud.
No, they pledged they’re still working because, as Farhan Zaidi said, “I don’t think we’re done.”
It’s unclear whether the Giants will keep making Winter Meetings headlines, but more will be coming for a team that Fangraphs estimates is at a payroll of about $150 million, with $208 million the unofficial cap.
“We’re weighing all kinds of different deals, and we’ll continue to evaluate those kinds of opportunities,” Zaidi said Tuesday from the team’s hotel suite after they signed starter Kevin Gausman and traded for infielder Zack Cozart and prospect Will Wilson.
A day prior, the Giants suggested they were close to landing another rotation member (which, along with Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto, brings their staff up to three sure-things). Asked if Gausman was the one he had in mind, Zaidi took a beat and said, “Maybe,” with a laugh.
They are still in the market for another starting pitcher, with Tyler Beede, Logan Webb, Dereck Rodriguez, Shaun Anderson and Conner Menez all possibilities but not probabilities. They met with Madison Bumgarner’s representatives and are tangentially linked to the Gerrit Cole sweepstakes, though that is a very long shot. More realistic are free-agent and trade options, perhaps akin to the one they just made.
A pitcher like J.A. Happ, who’s set to make $17 million from the Yankees this season, would make a lot of sense. Or — as a longer shot — perhaps even David Price, who will make $96 million over three more seasons.
“There are clearly teams out there that are looking to create financial flexibility. It’s been a very active market,” Zaidi said. “And I think for us, we’re trying to balance our competitive aspirations in 2020 with a long-term goal.”
